Protective packing means



K. w. couss. 2,449,591

PROTECTIVE PACKING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 50, v194A I N V EN TOR. fy WZaJa Sept. 21, 1948. K. w. COUSE PROTECTIVE PACKING MEANS Filed Aug. 30, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 21, 1948..

K. W. COUSE PROTECTIVE PACKING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 50, 1944 Patented Sept. 21. 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Kibbey W. Couse, Newark, .N. J. Application August 30, 1944, Serial No. 551,936

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and improved means for packing and protecting containers carrying delicate instruments or fragile goods during handling and shipment, where this type of goods isin boxes or containers of different size and shape, and where several may be placed in one large packing box or in some more or less irregular compartment such as the fuselage of an aeroplane.

It. has heretofore been customary, in packing small containers into. a larger container or packing box, to stufi some sort of packing material, such as excelsior or paper, around the smaller containers, all of which is more or less inefficient and many times awkward where the space to receive the boxes containing the goods to be protected is irregular in shape.

It is therefore the principal object of my in vention to provide a new and improved means of protection for the type of goods mentioned.

' My present improvement contemplates the use of a fiat, double-ended tube of considerable length and provided with an air valve whereby the tube may be blown up to a desired air pressure. The tube is made out of rubber or of a material having elastic properties. The flat tube, in-defiated condition, is wrapped around the container carrying the goods to be protected, or in some cases it may be wrapped-directly around the goods per se. Then, after thewrapping operation, air is forced through the air valve into the tubes, thereby giving a cushion effect far superior to any packing that has been in prior use. This manner of protecting containers or goods may be used to great advantage in paratroop work where containers are parachuted to the ground from an aeroplane, or jettisoned into the water. i

In some cases where the containers or packing boxes are rectangular in shape and provided withmy improved protecting tubes, they may be more easily handled by rolling them up and down ramps with a high degree of safety to the goods within the containers.

It will be readily understood that to remove the containers from a packing box or compartment wherein the goods are protected by my improved means, the tubes may be quickly defiated by means of the air valve or, in case of extreme emergency, the tubes may be punctured soas to permit easy removal of the containers carrying the goods. p

With certain types of packing boxes, special means may be found necessary to insure that the air can flow through the various convolutions of the tube, all of which will be later explained, as well as other details which are shown in the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows one form of blank from which the tube may bemade.

Figure 2 shows the structure of Figure 1 folded up on the line 2--2.

Figure 3 shows the folded edge vulcanized.

Figure 4 shows the device of Figure 3 turned inside out like a stocking, wherein the vulcanized edge portion is wholly within the tube.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the air valve attached thereto.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but with the ends vulcanized and the extremities pierced, ready to receive an eyelet as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7 is a view showing one end of the completed tube.

Figure 8 shows the completed tube wrapped around a part of a container, with anchor means attached to the eyelets shown in Figure 7. Figure 8 also shows a packing box or compartment ready to receive the container with the deflated tube wrapped around it.

Figure 9 shows the complete assembly of the tube and box of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 but with the tube inflated.

Figure 11 is a View of the lefthand end of Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a View of the left-hand end of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a section on the line Iii-l3 of Figure 7, asection of the tube being shown on a support member.

Figure 14 is a sectional view of the tube of Figure 13 in inflated condition.

Figure 15 shows the form which the tube may take when placed between two packing boxes.

Figure 16 is similar to Figure 15, but one of the packing boxes having an irregular shape.

Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 15, but showing a modified condition.

Figure 18 showsfpartly in section, the tube of Figure 13 placed around a corner of a containei'. I

Figure 19 is a view similar to Figure 18, but with the tube inflated to a certain degree.

Figure 20 shows a section through the tube in deflated conditionand with a reenforcement associated therewith. l t

Figure 21 is a view similar to Figure 20 but showing the tube made of two pieces.

Figure 22 is a sectional view showing a modifled form of construction wherein auxiliary sup- Figure 25 shows a form of reenforcement for the tube where the outside corner space is limited.

Figure 26 shows how the reenforcement member shown in Figure 25 is anchored at one end only of the tube.

Figure 2'7 is a sectional view through one end of the tube showing the application of the eyelet thereto. I v

Figure 28 shows one form of completed tube made in one piece as by moulding.

Figure 29 is a view on the line 29Z9 of Fig" ure 28. I

Figure 30 shows a modified form of construe tion wherein a single piece of material isfonned in such a manner as to produce two cooperative tubes.

Figure 31 is a view showing a plurality of tubes arranged between two walls or containers.

Figure 32 shows how the protecting tube may be permanently placed inside a compartment or box to receive containers carrying'goods.

Figure 33 illustrates how various forms (if containers may be packed within a giyeh' space:

In the various views, wherein likehumbars refer to corresponding parts, is a sheet of suitable elastic material which is made 'at both ends with a pair of projections 3. The street ors'trip I is adapted to be'folded onthe lirie2 --2 of Fig ure 1 as indicated in Figure 2., and then yulc'anized or permanently sealed alongthe edge 4, after which the structur'e'is turned inside out as indicated in Figure 4. air valve is sh'own attached, which may be done at any suitable time during the previously stated operation.

Then the tube isvulcaniz'ed orperinanently sealed at its opposite ends 6 and 'Lahd the projections 3 have perforations 8 which may be made therein at the time the strip I is formed, or they may be made after the operation of Fig} ure 5. Eyelets 9 are inserted and fastened in place in the projections 3. These-eyelets areused for receiving binding cords or bands liiwhich' may be of the elastic type, to anchor the tubeinplace as shown in Figures 8, 9 and Thecontainer H carrying the goods to be protected is wrapped with the completed tube as shown in Figure 8, after which it is set into the compartmeijit or packing box 12 as shown in Figure 9. 'Then an v air hose i3 is attached to the air valve hand the tube blown up to a certain pressure as shown in Figure 10. p U v N The frictional engagement ofthe tube with the walls of the packing box or compartment I2 is such that with the binding cord it] the tube need not in many cases be extended out over the ends of the container H, butinsoine cases it may be so extended or another tube of suitable length may be inserted as s-hown i'ri- Fi'g- I ures 18 and lQ, and 24; over the corners of' the containers H. Where the tubeislikely to be pinched at a corner, thereby preventing the com-- pressed air from filling the whole length of the tube, afibrous member Id may be used to prevent'ciosure of the tube intermediate its length, as' I have found in practice that an air space I5 will form around the member M, and where this member is of a fibrous nature; air will seep through it into the tube and this will separate the sides of the-tube so that it may beinflated;

In some cases a plurality of cords I l-may be used as shown in Figure22ywherein-thecords act not only to. allow the tube to-bblownup, but as reenforcin'g or. additional cushioning means within the tube at some portion length whr'ehe'sirdl This dushibriihgmeans 1 its 4 may take the form of cork or sponge rubber such as indicated at [6 in Figure 23. This construction is advantageous where the container is to be shipped into a war area, since the tubes might be punctured by some missile thereby letting the air out, in which case the spongle-like material or cord-type of material would still act as a shock=albs0rbingagent.- w W Where the tube is made in two pieces as in Figure 21, double air spaces is at each side may be provided. Where a single reenforcing member I4 is used longitudinally of the tube, it is bound only at one end around the eyelet 9 as indicated in'Figure-26.

In the form of construction shown in Figure 29fth" tube is i'n'oul'ded all in one piece, with reinforcing members I 4 so that air spaces l5 are provided, whereby the tube may be sure of bea fla d- 1 F gu 3mm r j trulk a jfi tri artanentiy'ia teiiedf together at ii to give, i fec't, tw'o" tubes which may be user as (it demands; or a plurality of tubes'maybe 'u in themanner as illustrated in 3 ,m i r the tu i pro ided w t e so as to anchor the tube" permanently i' "the cojr ners'of the packing box or receiver l2 moval of the containers I l containi maybe carried out without disturbi or the tubes. In this construction be prqvided with the porous reenr e beret the cord or sponge-type, sctiiatair'tahbe forcedinto all partsof the'tube I nigur'es's ShOW s: apluralityfof" types of containers carrying the'good ported and each provided with the'pa'ck heretofore dsci 'ibed. These contain in a compartment such as [9; illustr ting the fuselage oi an aeroplane where there sari irregular spate to be'filled. Here the tub ma t inflated an i rolled up and pushediiit'd'tii'e space as shown at- 2B; of the tube may be inserted in a similar space in a dlflatedconditibriand'then-infiate d afterward. 7 Where the ontainers at of ver la esi e a t e ains i i a ou them ashaie-l k ii i i a afi u e iedi a fiereh idegre g rde r' form to the special positions ofthe containers and' the ri ces b b nta d re whatlhagbeensaid; it will bereadily as redat d t a e ms o ithe: ub m be varied over a; wide range to suit: the conditions as explained, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the'appended claims. WhatIclaimis: It 1. Meansfor protecting containers and their contents at least during shipment comprisin a normally flat narrow twoeended belt *likehollow air tight tubular body of fiexible materiaiadaptedto bespiraliy wound in continuous-contactagainst some part of'a container during shipment and capable of assuming various'shapes to suit-eonditions, said'body having an airvalvewhe'reby the body may be inflated after being placedin pro tective-position with respect to the' container.

2;M'eans for protecting containers" and their contents as set forth inclaim' '1, iurther'char acterized in that" means are" mites-- witlii the structure defined in claim 1 foriiisltiriiig e structure be' inflated and foi eating to 'ItS shock"res'istingprbiirtiesi REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Kamrass May 14, 1918 m Number Name Date Butler June 5, 1923 Reeves July 3, 1928 Nelson Sept. 11, 1928 Littlefield Dec. 9, 1930 Lindermann Oct. 13, 1931 Christopher et a1. May 24, 1938 Stone et a1 Feb. 18, 1941, 

